Lord Janner Ordered to Attend Sex Abuse Hearing

Lord (Greville) Janner, an ageing member of the House of Lords, was ordered on Friday to appear in court to face charges of serious child sex crimes, despite defence lawyers arguing he was too unwell to attend.

Janner, 87, former Labour MP for Leicester West and ex-president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, is accused of 22 offences in the 1960s, 70s and 80s. He denies the charges.

“Lord Janner is fit to attend,” Judge Howard Riddle told Westminster Magistrates Court, saying his presence was necessary in the interests of justice.

Riddle said that the peer, who has been suspended by the Labour party, would only be needed for as little as a minute in a brief hearing.

In April, prosecutors said Janner, who has Alzheimer’s, was too ill to face charges but were forced to reverse their decision a few months later following anger from his alleged victims.

Riddle ended up adjourning the hearing for seven days for arrangements to be made so Janner could appear at the hearing after defence lawyers said the former lawmaker would not be able to attend on Friday, despite the judge’s ruling.